Saving Jay by E.M. Abel is the third and final book in her Breaking Free series. To say that I am a fan of this series would be a grave understatement. Ever since picking up the first book in this series, Freeing Asia, I have fallen in love with this author’s witty and unapologetic style of writing and the fantastically strong yet vulnerable characters she creates. I knew this book would be amazing and I was correct in my assumption. So what happens when a sexy, tattooed, enigmatic businessman finally meets his match? He ends up being saved. That’s what.

“Often, the things we detested most in others were the things we feared becoming.”

Jason Clarke (a.k.a. Jay) has been a part of this series ever since his brief relationship with Asia (from book one) ended. Jay finds himself in a dark and lonely place consumed by thoughts of his strained relationship with his father, utterly lost under the shadow of disapproval and disdain. Jay wants nothing more than to find his own happiness, find love with someone who is not shallow and is able to see him beyond the figures in his bank account. He wants something real and passionate. But, love is the one thing that Jay can’t seem to do right. Jay is not exactly sure what he is looking for....until he walks into a tattoo shop and meets her.

Jade Holliday has relocated to Virginia Beach from Boston and opened up her own tattoo shop, Expressions. She is wanting to start fresh, away from the publicity of the reality show she was briefly involved with and is also attempting to get past the raw and painful wounds inflicted on her psyche by her ex-boyfriend. Somewhere along the way Jade has become a shadow of her former self, someone who is afraid to risk it all and take chances. As much as Jade wants to go back to being the carefree, emotionally available woman she once was, she knows that trust is something that will no longer come easy for her. So what is it about the beautiful, blue-eyed man in a suit who saunters in to her shop that makes her want to shed her defenses and explore things she has shied away from for so long?

“I'm Jade by the way. My friends call me J."

"Nice to meet you, Jade. I'm Jason. My friends call me Jay, too."

I expected her to laugh at our similar nicknames. Instead, she stared at me before saying, "Wow. When you smile, it's like..." She started making noises resembling an explosion and gestures with her free hand. Now I was the one laughing.

There is an immediate attraction between Jay and Jade. They immediately fall into witty banter and flirtatious exchanges. As the pair begin to spend more time together there is no doubt that their connection is a profound and very real one despite the fact that they come from two completely different worlds. Can Jay be the man for Jade when he is struggling to stay above water? Can Jade open up and trust once again enough to let Jay in beyond the surface?

One of the things that I adore about E.M. Abel’s books is that she writes these characters who are real and relatable. Jade and Jay were no exception to this. Jade was this quirky tattoo artist with no brain to mouth filter and I absolutely loved her. She has trust issues and is afraid when it comes to starting anything serious with Jay; however, she was also brave enough to not let her fear stop her from taking a chance. I admired her strength and tenacity. When things got hard with Jay, Jade was resolute in her determination to stand by her man and help him carry his burdens.

“You’re lucky I find your bossiness so sexy, Mr. Clarke.”

He raised one eyebrow and glanced at my mouth before replying. “You haven’t seen bossy yet.”

And....Jay. Holy crap on a cracker....Jay! Who knew that under the perfectly pressed suit was a man who liked it a little on the kinky side. Damn! Jay is a man who has done a lot of reflecting and has matured immensely since we first met him in Freeing Asia. He knows what he wants and is no longer willing to try and fit into the mold his father has set out for him. I liked this new and improved Jay. No…wait. I freakin’ LOVED him! Despite the fact that that he is a powerful man who likes to take charge, there is this endearing vulnerability to him. There was this dichotomy to him, a constant battle between his light and dark side. The question becomes whether Jay is willing to let Jade see all of him. Can he be vulnerable enough to share his fears and weaknesses?

Saving Jay was an incredible end to this amazing series. I have loved all three books in the series but I have to say that Saving Jay is my favorite. It is well written and not ridden with unnecessary angst. What you get is a genuine love story between two people who wanted something honest and real. It may have taken some work to get there on their parts but when you find something solid that claims your heart you hold onto it with everything you’ve got.

****An advance reading copy of Saving Jay by E.M. Abel was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.